Golf board game

ABSTRACT

A golf board game that combines simulated play through the use of a board and random outcome generating device and includes trivia questions that are integrated into the play of the game.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] Applicant hereby claims priority based on U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 60/303,174 filed Jul. 5, 2001, entitled “Roll-A-Round”which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to board games and moreparticularly to a new golf board game for simulating a round of golf.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The use of board games is known in the prior art. Known prior artgolf board games include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,000,460; 4,380,338; 5,316,302;5,273,290; 4,790,534; 6,105,963; 5,924,693; 5,722,659; 5,692,751; and5,518,248.

[0004] What is needed is a golf board game that includes both simulatedgolf play and golf trivia questions to provide an entertaining,educational game.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The present invention meets the above-described need by providinga board game that combines simulated play through the use of a board anda random outcome generating device and includes trivia questions thatare integrated into the play of the game.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] The invention is illustrated in the drawings in which likereference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout thefigures of which:

[0007]FIG. 1 is a top view of the game board used in the golf board gameaccording to the present invention;

[0008]FIG. 2 is a top view of the game board indicating the layout ofthe course depicted on the board in FIG. 1;

[0009]FIG. 3 is a side view of a dice shaker;

[0010]FIG. 4 is a plan view of all of the dice used in the presentinvention;

[0011]FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the playing cards used with thepresent invention;

[0012]FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of the Champion's trophy;

[0013]FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the play money used with the presentinvention;

[0014]FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the playing pieces; and,

[0015]FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the scorecard.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] The present game can be played by any number of players, however,it is generally most enjoyable when from 2 to 8 play the game. The gamemay be played in at least two ways: individual play, with two, three, orfour players; or team play, with teams of two, three or four golfers perteam.

[0017] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the game may be played with a gameboard 10 to enhance the entertainment value and to help keep track ofwhere the players are on any given hole. The game board 10 helps keeptrack of the positions and next shot of the players. In the embodimentshown in FIG. 1, the game board 10 is a schematic overhead view of anexisting or newly designed eighteen hole golf course so the players cansee their progress throughout the course of an eighteen hole golf game.

[0018] Referring to FIGS. 1-9, each player or team selects one of fourcolored flags 13 (FIG. 8) to represent their golf ball on the golfcourse. The flags 13 are initially lined up at the clubhouse 14 and areready to begin play. The game may consist of nine or eighteen holes.

[0019] The order of play may be determined by rolling a standardsix-sided die (not shown) or a spinner device with the highest rollhaving honors. The game begins with the first player taking their teeshot from the tee box at the first hole to be played. Play typicallybegins at the tee box for hole number one. The tee box is divided intothree regions with championship tees 19, middle tees 22 and forward tees25. The first player begins the game by rolling a large white die 28(FIG. 4) having sixteen sides. A golf bag shaped die shaker 27 may beused to shake the die 28. As an alternative a spinner device could besubstituted for the die 28. As known to those of ordinary skill in theart, a spinner comprises a flat board having a circle divided into anumber of segments. Each segment has a number associated therewith. Apointer is rotationally attached at the center of the circle such thatit can be spun relative to the board to fall within a particularsegment. There are also other random outcome generating devices such aselectronic devices. The term random outcome generating device as usedherein is intended to include dice, spinners, electronic random outcomegenerators, or the like.

[0020] The outcome of the tee shot is determined by which side the die28 ends up on and is illustrated in the table below. The table belowindicates the set of possible outcomes associated with each die. Thetable lists the outcome and the number of sides of the die correspondingto that outcome.

[0021] The large white die 28 represents the tee shot and is also thefairway shot for par 5 holes. Each time that the player rolls the die 28it represents a swing of the golf club or a stroke, and therefore theplayers keep track of how many times that they roll each die.

[0022] After the die 28 is rolled for the tee shot, the player's flag 13is placed on the location indicated by the large white die 28. Thelocations or shot outcome zones may include the fairway 27, a sand trap33, a water hazard 29, a hook, or a slice.

[0023] If the roll of the die 28 indicates a hazard, the player mustchoose a card that corresponds to the hazard (either sand or water), andthe player must answer a golf-related trivia question on the card andkeep track of the outcome. If the player rolls a water hazard 29 for thetee shot, the player must select a card from the Water Hazard pile 31and attempt to answer the question on the card. If the question isanswered correctly, the hazard is deemed unusual course conditions andthe player resumes play without taking a penalty stroke. If answeredincorrectly, the player must take a one stroke penalty.

[0024] If a player rolls a sand trap 33 for the tee shot, the same ruleapplies for the sand trap hazard. The player draws a card from the Sandtrap pile 34 and answers the question on the card as described above.

[0025] If the player rolls a hook or slice for their tee shot, they mustroll the die 28 again until they enter the fairway 27. The hook or slicemust be counted as a stroke as it represents an out of bounds tee shot.

[0026] The next player then takes their tee shot by rolling the largewhite die 28 and proceeding to the area of the hole as indicated on thedie 28. With regard to the hazards, the same rules apply as discussedabove. This continues until all of the players have “hit” their teeshots.

[0027] After all the players have completed their tee shots, play goesback to the first person who will now roll the small white die 40. Thesmall white die 40 also has sixteen sides and the outcome of the shot isdetermined by the roll of the die 40. The small white die 40 determineshow the player approaches the green 41. As with the tee shot, the firstplayer proceeds to the area or shot outcome zone indicated on the smallwhite die 40. The first player continues rolling the die 40 until theyreach the green 41. Once the first player reaches the green 41, the nextplayer takes their turn until all of the players have reached the green41. The hazards are also in play on the small white die 40, and the samerules as discussed above apply.

[0028] Once all of the players are on the putting green 41, the firstplayer rolls the green die 50 to determine the number of “putts” to“hole out” or finish the hole. If the player rolls a green dot, theplayer chooses a card from the “Shot of the Day” pile 53. If the playeranswers the trivia question correctly, they are credited with a zeroputt which means that they holed out from their previous location. Ifthe question is answered incorrectly, the player is credited with a 1putt. All other putts are indicated by the number on the green die 50.After the first player has completed the hole, the remaining playerscontinue play as described above.

[0029] After the first hole is completed, the players move their flags13 to the tee boxes 19, 22, or 25 on the second hole. All golfers tallytheir rolls/strokes from the previous hole and mark the totals in thearea on the scorecard 60 designated for Hole 1. The scorecard 60 maycomprise a tablet of preprinted disposable sheets having spaces forentry of the scores for each player on each hole. The game may come witha pencil, and the used scorecard sheets may be discarded after eachgame.

[0030] For the remaining holes, play continues in the same fashion asdescribed above for Hole 1 until all nine or eighteen holes have beencompleted.

[0031] For holes with a par of five, the large white die 28 is rolled onthe first and second turn respectively. Next, the small white die 40 isrolled until the player reaches the green 41. Once on the green 41, thegreen die 50 is rolled once.

[0032] For par four holes, the large white die 28 is rolled once, thesmall white die 40 is rolled until the player reaches the green 41, andthen the green die 50 is rolled once.

[0033] For par three holes, the small white die 40 is rolled first, andthe player continues to roll the small white die 40 until the playerreaches the green 41. On the green 41, the green die 50 is rolled once.

[0034] The object of the game is to finish the nine or eighteen holecourse with the least total number of strokes. The player with thelowest total can move their flag 13 to the Winner's Circle 70 and claimthe Champion's Trophy 80. TABLE 1 Dice Outcomes APPROACH TO THE TEE SHOT(large GREEN (small ON THE GREEN white die with white die with (greendie with sixteen sides). sixteen sides) sixteen sides). Number of sidesNumber of sides Number of sides with a particular with a particular witha particular outcome indicated outcome indicated outcome indicated belowbelow below 10-Fairways 10-Green 8-Green Dots 2-Sand 2-Sand 2-1 putt2-Water 2-Water 3-2 putts 1-Hook 1-Short 3-3 putts 1-Slice 1-Long

[0035] The game play described above may be adapted to any variationthat is used for actual golf. Examples include scrambles, four ball,threesome, round robin, Chapman and Match Play.

[0036] Another variation to the game is a tournament format. One playeracts as a banker and distributes play money 90 (FIG. 7) in the sum of$50 dollars to each player in the following denominations: ten $1's,four $5's; and two $10's. The entry fee is $20.00 per player or $40.00per team (of two players) and is placed in the Winner's Circle 70 to becollected by the tournament's low scoring player or team. Mulligans canbe purchased for $5.00 each and may be used only once per nine holes perplayer. The mulligan fee is also added to the winner's purse.

[0037] Nassau's may be made with the remaining money among individualplayers or teams. The side bets are the responsibility of each playerand are not part of the winner's purse. The tournament may consist of18, 36 or 72 holes.

[0038] While the invention has been described in connection with certainembodiments, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention tothe particular forms set forth, but, on the contrary, it is intended tocover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may beincluded within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by theappended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of playing a golf board game,comprising: providing a game playing piece for each player; providing aboard which is a schematic overhead view of a plurality of holes of agolf course; dividing each hole into a plurality of shot outcome zones;providing at least one random outcome generating device having a set ofoutcomes that dictate the result of a golf shot; providing at least oneset of trivia questions, the questions being associated with at leastone of the shot outcome zones; each player moving a game playing pieceon the board to the zone designated by the random outcome device;selecting one of the questions when the game playing piece is moved intoa predetermined zone; and, repeating the moving and selecting stepsuntil the outcome of the hole is complete.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein the shot outcome zones include a fairway, a hazard, and aputting green.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the hazard includes atleast one sand trap.
 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the hazardincludes at least one water hazard.
 5. The method of claim 1, whereinthe random outcome generating device comprises at least one die.
 6. Themethod of claim 2, wherein the questions are associated with the hazard.7. The method of claim 2, wherein the questions are associated with theputting green.
 8. The method of claim 5, wherein the die has sixteensides.
 9. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one die comprisesa first die for tee shots and a second die for approach shots.
 10. Themethod of claim 9, wherein the first and second die have sixteen sides.11. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one die comprises afirst die for tee shots, a second die for approach shots and a third diefor putting.
 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the questions pertain togolf trivia.
 13. The method of claim 6, wherein answering the questioncorrectly results in avoiding a penalty associated with the hazard. 14.The method of claim 7, wherein answering the question correctly resultsin the player holing out from their previous position.
 15. A golf boardgame, comprising: a game board which is a schematic overhead view of aplurality of holes of a golf course, each hole having a plurality ofshot outcome zones; a game playing piece for moving about the board as arepresentation of the player's golf ball; a random outcome generatingdevice having a set of outcomes that dictate the result of a golf shot;and, a plurality of questions associated with at least one of the shotoutcome zones.
 16. The golf board game of claim 15, wherein the shotoutcome zones further comprise a fairway, at least one hazard and aputting green.
 17. The golf board game of claim 15, wherein the randomoutcome generating device comprises at least one die.
 18. The golf boardgame of claim 17, wherein the at least one die further comprises a firstdie for tee shots and a second die for approach shots.
 19. The golfboard game of claim 17, wherein the at least one die further comprises afirst die for the tee shot, a second die for the approach shot, and athird die for the putting green.
 20. The golf board game of claim 19,wherein the set of outcomes for the third die include the playerselecting a question.
 21. The golf board game of claim 17, wherein theat least one die has sixteen sides.
 22. A golf board game, comprising: agame board which is a schematic overhead view of a plurality of holes ofa golf course, each hole having a plurality of shot outcome zones; agame playing piece for moving about the board as a representation of theplayer's golf ball; at least one random outcome generating device havinga set of outcomes that dictate the result of a golf shot; a plurality ofquestions associated with at least one of the shot outcome zones; and,wherein the at least one random outcome generating device generates anoutcome associated with a putting surface such that the outcome iseither a number of putts to hole out or the outcome is that the playertakes a question.
 23. The golf board game of claim 22, wherein thequestions are associated with at least one other shot outcome zone inaddition to the putting green.